Tuesday, July 9, 2013

----------Techie----------

1. Fotor.com--Free!

Please tell me if you've found a better (free!) web-based
collage creator, because I haven't. This isn't the first one I've used, but it
is by far the best. Fotor.com

2. PBS App--Free!

This free app has a library of clips from PBS's kids shows. It
updates weekly. So if your little one loves
Sesame Street, Curious George, or basically any kids' show on PBS, this may be
the App for you.

3. Createfan.com--Free!

Love family
history? Love graphic displays? Combine the two by using your Family Search
login to sign on to https://createfan.com/
and instantly create a beautiful eight generation fan. The only sad part is if
you have ancestors whose information is lacking or under question, it is left
off of the fan entirely (aka: my German side on the right). But if anything,
this should just be motivation to get on the ball and get more family history
work done. Just (1) Login and (2) Create. But once you do, you won't be able to
stop yourself from (3) Sharing with your parents and siblings.

----------Products----------

Looove this waffle maker. It takes a little
experimenting to get the timing just right for your particular altitude/batter,
but once you figure it out, the waffles that come off of this thing are pure
perfection. It has high reviews on Amazon so I am definitely not the only person loving
it. The best part is that because it flips, the waffles cook evenly, but because
of the way it flips on its hinge, it stores oh-so-nicely, like so:

That's right,
completely vertical. So basically it takes up a few inches on your pots and pans
shelf, which rocks. If you've been thinking your waffle maker is lacking, I'd
highly recommend saving up your pennies for one of these babies. Buy it HERE.

5. Southwest

Now that my time of flying free with a lap child has come to
an end, I have to take a minute to say...I love Southwest. I know it is
sometimes referred to as SouthWorst, but as someone who has logged a lot of
miles the past couple of years, when it comes to flying with kids, there is no
one better. The #1 reason for this is when you are flying with
kids, open seating is your best friend. Even if a flight is completely full
(which it's usually not), because people choose their own seats, the people who
end up sitting next to you are likely kind, kid-loving people who will not only
tolerate your kid, they'll be sweet to them and maybe even help you entertain
them. After enduring icy stares on a JetBlue flight (when my toddler was quietly
talking to himself and, as far as 1-year-olds go, pretty much being an angel), I
resolved to go on Southwest as often as possible. Another benefit of open
seating is if there is a single, solitary empty seat on the flight, if you seat
in the back with your baby/toddler proudly displayed (the crankier, the better),
you can guarantee that open seat next to you is going to remain unoccupied,
allowing you to stow your carry-ons there and give you more leg room.
My
advice to make things even better:
(1) Sit in the back--way in the
back. It's part of the Flying-With-Kids code. Plus, that's where the flight
attendants hang out and there's a good chance they'll spoil you back
there.
(2) Maybe everyone knows this, but I didn't at first: come beverage
service time, the flight attendants can give you and your little one's
water/juice/soda with a top and straw to avoid spillage. Before I learned
this little gem, I used to ask for one water with no ice, so I could gulp the
whole glass down instantly before Little Man could get his paws on it.
(3) If a
flight's looking empty, ask about bringing your infant seat. An angelic
Southwest employee offered to let me do this once and it resulted in the most
heavenly flight ever where my little one slept in his car seat for the entire flight
while I, hands-free, chillaxed like nobody's business.
(4) Make sure you sign
up for Rapid Rewards. I've earned several free flights in my day.

6. Nature's Miracle--Cost depends on type/size

Have kids that vomit/urinate? Get this stuff! I won't go into
detail because vomit and urine are, well, gross. But basically this is an
enzymatic cleaner marketed for animals (I bought mine at PetCo) that is golden
for when kids throw up on carseats, carpets, etc. Mine was first used for a car
seat cover. I sprayed, let it do its enzyme thing for a bit, threw the cover in
the washer and the cover came out smelling totally fresh and clean (I won't
describe what it smelled like beforehand, but fear not, that smell has been
burned into my olfactory memory for life). I've since used it on clothes,
carpets, etc. and am always pleased with the results.

7. Disposable Nitrile Cleaning
Gloves-- ≈$10 for a pack of
100

When I got married and finally started cleaning (sorry college roommates), I tried getting a
couple pairs of old school big rubber gloves, one pair for the bathroom, one for
the kitchen. These had a myriad of problem, namely the fact that I am 6 feet
tall and have hands to match, meaning my hands are less than petite and good
ole' Rubbermaid gloves never seemed to fit. Also, they obviously got used (and
consequently germy), which means after I'm done cleaning...gross. So what do the
professionals do? Get disposable cleaning gloves, of course. Have you ever seen
a professional clean a bathroom without them? The thought occurred to me at some
point when we were working on our house and I was slipping on a pair to paint,
caulk, drywall, etc. and I realized, why am I still using huge rubber gloves or
worse, no gloves, like a sucker? So this way I can (1) slip on a pair of gloves
(easier to clean with than big, thick gloves anyway), (2) clean the bathrooms,
then (3) dispose of them and their germs rather than throw them under the sink
covered in who knows what (I promise I'm not a germophone, but
seriously--kitchens and bathrooms are breeding grounds for germs).

I'm
all for saving the environment, but considering I live in a city where reusable
grocery bags are required (hope you're washing your bags, people--every time a
city forces its citizens to switch to reusable bags, bacteria related ER admissions go up 1/4th. Norovirus, anyone?)...so anyway...when it comes to
germs/health, I have to draw the line somewhere.

We buy ours from Costco (Husband uses the same type of
gloves to work on the car, house, etc). But you can buy these anywhere. They
only cover up to your wrists, so they don't work for washing dishes, but they
work for pretty much everything else.

----------Fun
Stuff----------

8. Jamba Insider--Free!

I already heralded the glories of being able to split any size Jamba with a lil' cup for the wee ones
(no extra charge). But I must say, if you like Jamba and aren't already a "Jamba
Insider," I'd suggest signing up. All of my commercial e-mails go to my junk
e-mail address (that I can still check without having to be constantly
annoyed), so I can't speak to that side of things,
but I love the text updates. I basically refuse to pay full price for a Jamba
Juice (they're so much cheaper to make at home), but Jamba Insider lets me know
about the days you can get smoothies for Free/$1/$2.
Interested? Sign up
here: http://www.jambajuice.com/insider

9. Divide and
Conquer
Anniversary/Valentine's--Free!

I mentioned in a past post that my husband and I divide and
conquer Valentine's Day and our Anniversary every year. We rotate, so each year
you're in charge of one major couple occasion and for the other, you just sit
back and enjoy the day. I got a few comments on what a good idea this was, so I
must admit, yes, it's brilliant. My husband and I aren't perfect (ha!), but I think this is
one of those things in our marriage we've struck gold with because it works
soooo nicely. It's so fun to be the one planning the activity and then it's nice
to be able to relax and enjoy the other occasion. And because you're really only
in charge of one big thing each year, it's much easier (and more motivating) to
plan well in advance and come up with something more fun/memorable than just a
last minute run to the grocery store to pick up flowers and a card. I could go
into detail on all the stuff we've come up with, but it's all very couple-y, so
I'll spare you. Suffice it to say we've yet to have a lame Valentine's or
Anniversary.

10. You Tell Me!

Mom Tips - Okay, let's get real: what do you use to clean up nastiness (vomit/urine) on carpet?

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